ROBERT DEWITT: Nick Saban has set his own precedent against Irish

Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 10:30 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA

A friend of mine was walking back from the 1973 Sugar Bowl with his Catholic wife. Notre Dame had just defeated Alabama 24-23 in a classic battle. He suddenly punched her on the shoulder (hard, according to the wife) and said, “It’s your fault” and then mumbled something about Catholics.

Notre Dame has that kind of irrational effect on Alabama fans and that’ll probably rear its head between now and Alabama’s BCS Championship Game tilt with the Fighting Irish.

It started in 1966 when Alabama ended the season the only defending national champion ever to go undefeated, untied and uncrowned. Notre Dame won the championship despite a tie with Michigan State marring its record. The people who voted in the polls always seemed happy to set precedents when it favored Notre Dame.

Prior to 1977, the highest ranked bowl team to win its bowl game won the national championship. That’s how No. 4 Alabama won the national championship in 1965. No. 1 Michigan State lost the Rose Bowl, No. 2 Arkansas lost the Cotton Bowl and Alabama beat No. 3 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

In 1977 Texas was No. 1, followed by Oklahoma with Alabama at No. 3. Notre Dame sat at No. 5 and beat Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Arkansas bumped off Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl and Alabama clobbered Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Late New Year’s night as Arkansas finished its beatdown of Oklahoma, Alabama fans looked at each other and said, “We just won the national championship.”

A couple of days later, they found out how wrong they were. The poll voters jumped Notre Dame over Alabama, again unprecedented, using the rationale that Notre Dame had beaten the No. 1 team. It was one of those precedents that only seem to occur when Notre Dame is involved.

The next year, Alabama was No. 2 and defeated No. 1 Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. So Alabama was the top-ranked team to win its bowl game and it beat the No. 1 team. So the UPI Poll voters jumped Southern Cal over Alabama, giving the Trojans the national championship because they had beaten Alabama back in September.

Perhaps Alabama fans are a bit paranoid. But just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you. Notre Dame had nothing to do with the last one. On the other hand, they could have won their annual game with Southern Cal and taken them out of the picture. So I’m sure some Alabama fans figured they lost on purpose.

As bad as all the political screw jobs were, the losses were worse. Notre Dame beat Alabama by a point in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship in 1973. The Irish beat Alabama by two points in the Orange Bowl in 1974, denying Alabama a share of the championship.

The Sugar Bowl loss was particularly miserable for me because I watched it with a friend who is an Auburn fan. He came to my house, ate my chips, pulled for Notre Dame, laughed when they won and then went outside and shot my firecrackers until midnight. Does anybody have any unanswered questions about the relationship between Alabama and Auburn fans?

In 1976, Notre Dame held off a furious Alabama comeback to win by three. Alabama had a first down inside the Notre Dame 10 trailing 21-18 late in the fourth quarter. Pete Cavan broke right and was wide open in the end zone but Jeff Rutledge didn’t see him. He threw to Thad Flanagan in double coverage and got picked off.

Also, Alabama lost to Notre Dame 7-0 in Legion Field in 1980, ending Alabama’s hopes of a third straight national championship. It left legendary Coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant with an ugly 0-4 hole in his otherwise brilliant legacy.

Alabama finally got a win against the Irish in 1986. But there was something just kind of wrong about it. It was Lou Holtz’s first year as Notre Dame’s coach and he hadn’t had time to turn things around after an abysmal five-year run under Gerry Faust. It seemed like shooting a trophy deer tied to a stake.

No Alabama fans want to remember the last time Alabama played Notre Dame in 1987. It was as ugly as an Army mule. Suffice it to say, in the intervening year, the deer got loose from the stake and gored the shooter repeatedly.

After playing six times in 14 years, the two schools haven’t played in a quarter century. It’s been just one year less than that since Notre Dame last won a national championship. Alabama has won three, two in the past three years.

As recently as 1995, I can remember reveling in a Notre Dame loss (to Northwestern to be specific). But in the past few years, Notre Dame losses have gotten so commonplace, all of the joy has been sapped from them. I’ve even begun pulling for them. Football is better when Notre Dame is good.

In the end, the politics turned on them. Where they once got the benefit of the doubt, they now seem to carry an extra burden.

Alabama’s losses to them are old news and the sting has gone out of them. Watching all of the village Catholics who aren’t Alabama fans suddenly turn into Notre Dame fans but claim it has nothing to do with being Catholic is more funny than irritating now.

Some Alabama fans are already fretting about Alabama’s 1-5 record against Notre Dame. But there won’t be a player on the field that was born when the two teams last played.

And there’s something else. Alabama had never beaten Texas when the two teams played for the national championship three years ago. Call me crazy, but I think Nick Saban sets his own precedents. He is 3-0 against Notre Dame.

Robert DeWitt is senior writer for The Tuscaloosa News. Readers can email him at robert.

<p>TUSCALOOSA</p><p>A friend of mine was walking back from the 1973 Sugar Bowl with his Catholic wife. Notre Dame had just defeated Alabama 24-23 in a classic battle. He suddenly punched her on the shoulder (hard, according to the wife) and said, “It's your fault” and then mumbled something about Catholics.</p><p>Notre Dame has that kind of irrational effect on Alabama fans and that'll probably rear its head between now and Alabama's BCS Championship Game tilt with the Fighting Irish.</p><p>It started in 1966 when Alabama ended the season the only defending national champion ever to go undefeated, untied and uncrowned. Notre Dame won the championship despite a tie with Michigan State marring its record. The people who voted in the polls always seemed happy to set precedents when it favored Notre Dame.</p><p>Prior to 1977, the highest ranked bowl team to win its bowl game won the national championship. That's how No. 4 Alabama won the national championship in 1965. No. 1 Michigan State lost the Rose Bowl, No. 2 Arkansas lost the Cotton Bowl and Alabama beat No. 3 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.</p><p>In 1977 Texas was No. 1, followed by Oklahoma with Alabama at No. 3. Notre Dame sat at No. 5 and beat Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Arkansas bumped off Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl and Alabama clobbered Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. Late New Year's night as Arkansas finished its beatdown of Oklahoma, Alabama fans looked at each other and said, “We just won the national championship.”</p><p>A couple of days later, they found out how wrong they were. The poll voters jumped Notre Dame over Alabama, again unprecedented, using the rationale that Notre Dame had beaten the No. 1 team. It was one of those precedents that only seem to occur when Notre Dame is involved.</p><p>The next year, Alabama was No. 2 and defeated No. 1 Penn State in the Sugar Bowl. So Alabama was the top-ranked team to win its bowl game and it beat the No. 1 team. So the UPI Poll voters jumped Southern Cal over Alabama, giving the Trojans the national championship because they had beaten Alabama back in September.</p><p>Perhaps Alabama fans are a bit paranoid. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. Notre Dame had nothing to do with the last one. On the other hand, they could have won their annual game with Southern Cal and taken them out of the picture. So I'm sure some Alabama fans figured they lost on purpose.</p><p>As bad as all the political screw jobs were, the losses were worse. Notre Dame beat Alabama by a point in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship in 1973. The Irish beat Alabama by two points in the Orange Bowl in 1974, denying Alabama a share of the championship.</p><p>The Sugar Bowl loss was particularly miserable for me because I watched it with a friend who is an Auburn fan. He came to my house, ate my chips, pulled for Notre Dame, laughed when they won and then went outside and shot my firecrackers until midnight. Does anybody have any unanswered questions about the relationship between Alabama and Auburn fans?</p><p>In 1976, Notre Dame held off a furious Alabama comeback to win by three. Alabama had a first down inside the Notre Dame 10 trailing 21-18 late in the fourth quarter. Pete Cavan broke right and was wide open in the end zone but Jeff Rutledge didn't see him. He threw to Thad Flanagan in double coverage and got picked off.</p><p>Also, Alabama lost to Notre Dame 7-0 in Legion Field in 1980, ending Alabama's hopes of a third straight national championship. It left legendary Coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant with an ugly 0-4 hole in his otherwise brilliant legacy.</p><p>Alabama finally got a win against the Irish in 1986. But there was something just kind of wrong about it. It was Lou Holtz's first year as Notre Dame's coach and he hadn't had time to turn things around after an abysmal five-year run under Gerry Faust. It seemed like shooting a trophy deer tied to a stake.</p><p>No Alabama fans want to remember the last time Alabama played Notre Dame in 1987. It was as ugly as an Army mule. Suffice it to say, in the intervening year, the deer got loose from the stake and gored the shooter repeatedly.</p><p>After playing six times in 14 years, the two schools haven't played in a quarter century. It's been just one year less than that since Notre Dame last won a national championship. Alabama has won three, two in the past three years.</p><p>As recently as 1995, I can remember reveling in a Notre Dame loss (to Northwestern to be specific). But in the past few years, Notre Dame losses have gotten so commonplace, all of the joy has been sapped from them. I've even begun pulling for them. Football is better when Notre Dame is good.</p><p>In the end, the politics turned on them. Where they once got the benefit of the doubt, they now seem to carry an extra burden. </p><p>Alabama's losses to them are old news and the sting has gone out of them. Watching all of the village Catholics who aren't Alabama fans suddenly turn into Notre Dame fans but claim it has nothing to do with being Catholic is more funny than irritating now.</p><p>Some Alabama fans are already fretting about Alabama's 1-5 record against Notre Dame. But there won't be a player on the field that was born when the two teams last played.</p><p>And there's something else. Alabama had never beaten Texas when the two teams played for the national championship three years ago. Call me crazy, but I think Nick Saban sets his own precedents. He is 3-0 against Notre Dame.</p><p>Robert DeWitt is senior writer for The Tuscaloosa News. Readers can email him at robert.</p><p>dewitt@tuscaloosanews.com.</p>